Cattle Thieves Kill10, Raid Four Villages In Zamfara On Friday
At least 15 people were killed in violence in northern and central Nigeria, police and local officials said on Thursday, in the latest unrest to hit the restive regions.
Police in Zamfara state said suspected cattle thieves killed 10 in raids on four remote villages on Wednesday — although a local resident said the toll was far higher — while nomadic cattle herders had killed five in Benue state since Tuesday.
The deadly violence has put President Muhammadu Buhari under pressure as elections approach in February next year. He was elected in 2015 on a promise to be tough on insecurity.
Police across the north and central states have meanwhile announced enhanced security for the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, including extra patrols and officers.
Previous Eid celebrations have been hit by attacks from Boko Haram Islamists but there are fears of fresh violence in other areas hit by unrest.
In Zamfara, armed bandits stormed villages in the Birnin Magaji area in an apparent reprisal attack after local militia killed one of their number.
Police spokesman Mohammed Shehu told AFP “10 people were killed by the bandits”. “From our reports, the attackers fled to the Rugu forest in neighbouring Katsina state,” he added.
But local resident Dantani Bube, who lives in Dutsin Wake village, said: “We lost 26 people in the attacks on Dutsin Wake, Oho, Badambaji and Kabingiro.”
Another local, Lawwali Maishanu, said 17 were killed in Dutsin Wake, seven in Oho and one each in Badambaji and Kabingiro.
Maishanu said local militia had earlier killed a suspected bandit at a market. Bandits then demanded the civilian vigilantes hand over those responsible but they refused.
Bube and Maishanu said the gang then traced the militia members suspected of the killing to the four villages.
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